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Subjective stress states elicited in the context of performance are composed of three broad syndromes as measured by the Short Stress State Questionnaire (SSSQ): Task-engagement, Worry and Distress (Helton, 2004). They are supposed to emerge from the interplay between environmental demands and metacognitive beliefs, but this assumption remains untested. Our research addressed this issue and tested the hypothesis that subjective stress states syndromes may be explained by environmental demands, metacognitive beliefs and their interplay. We recruited 210 participants who completed a working memory, vigilance or magazine-reading task. Our main results revealed that each syndrome of stress is explained by a specific set of predictors: Distress is explained by the dynamic between metacognition and environmental demands, Worry was only predicted by metacognition and Task engagement is explained by both environmental demands and metacognition. Our results were discussed in reference to the S-REF model (Wells & Matthews, 1994) and they brought some insight in when environmental and metacognitive factors predict stress state components in performance settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] This study presented an alternative methodology. [•] We used cluster analysis to identify the different cognitive coping profiles. [•] People at risk of depression were identified based on cognitive coping profiles. [•] Self-esteem and trait-anxiety were core variables in coping profiles. [•] Future research should move from coping strategies to coping profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions (MABI) in sport settings need further development and validation to fulfil the desired outcomes related to sport performance. The current study aimed to design and implement a MABI integrated into the badminton training of young elite players (MBI programme), and to investigate its impact on sport performance-related outcomes. Two stages: (a) design and implementation of the MBI programme, and (b) evaluation using a mixed methods approach. Participants were young elite badminton players, assigned either to the 8-week MBI programme (n = 18; M age = 16.22), or the 8-week placebo programme (n = 11; M age = 16.64). Participants completed pre- and post-intervention measures of mindfulness skills, cognitive interference, and performance satisfaction. Social validation interviews were conducted with MBI participants to collect their overall perceptions of the programme. MANCOVA indicated a large intervention effect on the main outcome variables (partial η2 = 0.58). The results of univariate ANCOVAs showed that post-intervention awareness, performance worries and task-irrelevant thoughts differed significantly across the groups. In addition, follow-up t-tests provided additional information regarding changes from pre- to post-intervention among the MBI and control groups separately. Social validation data gave further insights into what athletes had retained and applied from the MBI programme. Contrasting results highlighted the need to better explore mindfulness mechanisms in MABI and the way they are inter-related, in order to strengthen changes in sport performance-related outcomes. • The 8-week Mindfulness Badminton Integrated (MBI) programme is presented. • This study evaluated the MBI's impact through a mixed methods approach. • The MBI did not lead to clear improvement when compared to an active control group. • Social validation provided additional insights into overall perceptions of the MBI. • The findings have implications for researchers and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A questionnaire that can properly measure communal coping in sport is required to further investigate and understand how individuals in a team collectively cope with stressful sport situations. The Communal Coping Strategies Inventory for Competitive Team Sports (CCSICTS; Leprince et al., 2019) needed to be validated at the collective level and in its situational form to be used in broader sport situations. The aims of the present work were to improve and further validate the factorial structure of the CCSICTS at both individual and team levels. With a sample of 380 French athletes, representing 56 teams, Study 1 showed support for a multilevel, hierarchical and four-dimensional factorial structure of the revised version of the CCSICTS at both individual and team levels. With a sample of 641 French athletes, representing 75 teams, Study 2 confirmed the factorial structure obtained in Study 1 at individual and team levels, and its validity in sport-specific situations. The results of both studies also highlighted a bifactorial structure, allowing interpretation of communal coping as an overall team capacity to adapt to stress. As such, the psychometric qualities of the CCSICTS-R have been established at individual and team levels. The CCSICTS-R enables proper and distinct measurement of the characteristics of communal coping in sport (i.e., hierarchical, multidimensional, multilevel, both situational and dispositional) and can be used from both research and practical perspectives. • The aim was to further validate a questionnaire measuring communal coping in sport (i.e., CCSICTS). • The multilevel factorial validity of the CCSICTS-R was established. • The CCSICTS-R can be used in both dispositional and situational forms. • Communal coping may be viewed as the overall team capacity to adapt to stress. • This tool can be used to evaluate how teams cope with stress, from research and practical perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify attentional foci and coping strategies of elite fencers during competitive matches, explore the co-occurrences between both, and examine their impact on performance. Twenty-two epeeists (11 males and 11 females) from a national team took part in self-confrontation interviews during two simulated tournaments. Data were analysed using inductive and deductive content analyses. Moreover, a quantitative analysis of qualitative data was conducted to examine the impact of attentional foci and coping strategies on objective performance. Three categories of attentional foci were identified: (a) cues, (b) strategies and tactics and (c) extraneous attention. To depict the coping processes of elite fencers, appraisals, coping strategies and emotions were coded. Coping strategies were mainly task-oriented, and often co-occurred with strategic foci. Analysis of the co-occurrences showed that athletes could combine information from their sensations and their environment during a point. They could also use several coping strategies within or between points. Chi-square tests revealed that focusing on environmental cues, particularly spatial-temporal characteristics, was associated with more touches won and fewer touches lost. Focusing on distance/timing of actions could be relevant cues in elite fencing. Focus on internal aspects did not impair performance in the present sample. This study furthered knowledge of attentional foci and coping strategies described by elite athletes in naturalistic settings. Following the present research results, practitioners should seek to develop pre- and post-point routines that pair task-oriented coping strategies with relevant attentional focus. • Insights on attentional foci and coping strategies in rapidly-changing conditions. • Fencers could shift between internal sensations and external cues during points. • Fencers won more touches after focusing on spatial-temporal characteristics. • No impact of coping strategies or self-focus on the result of the point. • Interventions should develop routines pairing coping strategies and relevant focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of research in clinical psychology is now relying on Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). EMA is fitted to investigate fluctuating processes and as such, it is of particular interest in a clinical context in which patients are often characterized by fluctuating behaviors and affective states or symptoms. EMA typically involves frequent self-evaluations over long periods, which may influence patient response. The present study aimed to determine whether EMA follow-ups could influence the participants’ self-evaluations over time. The sample comprised 24 outpatients suffering from a Major Depressive Disorder (15 women, age = 51.4 ± 9.6). This study relied on an EMA protocol involving self-evaluations of seven depressive symptoms twice a day over 5 months. Patients did not show any clinical improvement following the clinical screening and the level of depressive symptoms during the follow-up. As a novel finding, significant moderate to large effects were observed for decreased variability and instability of psychological states over time. The main difference in temporal properties of psychological states was found after the first two weeks of the follow-up. This study characterized early changes in patients’ self-evaluations, suggesting the idea of a valuable familiarization period during the first two weeks of an EMA follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to better understand how an integrated mindfulness and acceptance-based intervention works and for whom it works best, study objectives were to examine (i) the trajectories of mindfulness skills and performance-related outcomes during the intervention, and athletes' perceptions of the impact of the intervention; and (ii) the potential moderating effects of personality characteristics on changes in targeted variables associated with the intervention. The sample consisted of 40 young elite female basketball players (M = 16.33, SD = 0.75 years) from three incoming groups at the French Federal Basketball Center over a 3-year period. All players participated in a 15-week Mindfulness BasketBall Integrated program. They completed online questionnaires measuring personality traits 10 months before the intervention, as well as pre-, mid- and post-intervention measurements of mindfulness skills, intensity and directional interpretation of stress, and performance satisfaction. They also participated in semi-structured social validation interviews conducted one month after the intervention. The results of the multilevel growth curve (MGCA) and thematic analyses revealed how the mindfulness skills and performance-related outcomes evolved over the course of the intervention and how these changes were perceived by the athletes. Specifically, the MGCA showed significant linear increases in acceptance, positive stress direction, and performance satisfaction. The complementary social validation data indicated perceived improvements in mindfulness skills and performance. The MGCA also showed that baseline personality traits moderated the effects of the program on acceptance and experience of stress. These findings may be used to inform the design of more effective integrated mindfulness and acceptance-based interventions. • The intervention integrated mindfulness exercises into basketball players' regular training. • Mindfulness skills and targeted outcomes evolve during intervention. • Personality traits moderated the effects of the intervention. • Lower conscientiousness and/or neuroticism are related to a greater increase in acceptance. • Identifying potential moderators of intervention effects could help to better target athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of how team sport athletes cope with stress in a collective way (i.e., communal coping , Lyons, Mickelson, Sullivan, & Coyne, 1998) is recent in sport. To date no questionnaire has been created to assess the specific communal coping strategies that team sport athletes use to cope collectively. The purpose of this study was therefore to develop and validate a questionnaire measuring communal coping at the team sport level (i.e., the Communal Coping Strategies Inventory for Competitive Team Sports - CCSICTS). Study 1 focused on creating items for the CCSICTS and tested their clarity and applicability. Study 2 tested the factorial structure of the CCSICTS with a sample of 371 Sport Science students. Study 3 examined the convergent validity of the questionnaire with other concepts such as affect, individual coping and cohesion. Study 1 resulted in the development of an initial pool comprising 66 items. The results of Study 2 showed that a model with 36 items fit the data well. These items measured 12 coping strategies, 11 of which are grouped into four higher-order dimensions. Study 3 showed congruent links between communal coping and tested concepts. The CCSICTS is the first known measure specifically created to capture the singularity of communal coping in team sports. The validation of this tool allows new investigations of communal coping mechanisms through quantitative studies. • The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire (i.e., the CCSICTS) measuring communal coping in team sports. • The structure of the CCSICTS consisted of 12 communal coping strategies, 11 of which are grouped into four higher order dimensions. • The CCSICTS is the first known measure specifically created to capture the singularity of communal coping in team sports. • The CCSICTS allows further investigations of communal coping process through quantitative studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]